The commonly used vacuum forming materials include PVC (about 50%, density 1.36g/cm3), PS (about 30%, density 1.06g/cm3), PET (about 10%, density 1.39g/cm3), and PP (about 10%, density 0.92g/cm3).
The maximum thickness of PVC is generally 0.8mm, and PS can generally reach 1.2mm. Films exceeding this thickness are difficult to pull and can easily cause equipment damage.
PVC sheets have high toughness and are not easy to burn. When burned, chlorine gas is produced, which has a certain impact on the environment. PVC is easy to heat and can be sealed using sealing machines and high-frequency edge banding. It is the main raw material for producing transparent vacuum molded products. PVC film is a widely used and popular material. PVC film can be divided into two types:
environmentally friendly and non environmentally friendly. It can be made into various vacuum packaging products such as transparent, colored, anti-static, gold-plated, flocked, etc. Its main characteristics are high transparency, good surface gloss, few crystal points, small water marks, wide use, strong impact resistance, and easy molding. The products are widely used in toys, food, electronic products, medicine, electrical appliances, gifts, etc The outer packaging of cosmetics, stationery and other products.
PS hard sheets have low density, poor toughness, are prone to combustion, and produce styrene gas (a harmful gas) during combustion, so they are generally used to produce various industrial vacuum pallets. PS sheet is a new type of environmentally friendly packaging material that has developed in recent years. With its excellent thermal forming performance, good environmental and hygiene performance, it is widely used in medicine, food, toys, and electronics.
PET hard sheets have good toughness and are a new type of material developed in recent years. Due to its excellent toughness, high strength, high transparency, and recyclability, it is easy to burn and does not produce harmful gases during combustion. As an environmentally friendly material, PVC has gradually been phased out, but its price is high. Suitable for high-end vacuum molded products, PET material is generally required for vacuum molded shell in European and American countries, but its high hot melting point poses great difficulties for high cycle packaging.
PETG material is used to solve the problem of high hot melting point of PET materials. People composite a layer of PVC film on the surface of PET, named PETG, but the price is higher. Mainly used for electronics, food, toys, color box windows, collar holders, and shoe packaging
